BOHOMAROON

Kyrgyzstan

Mountains, Lakes and Horses Reading and Listening A brief history of Kyrgyzstan by KJ Smith The great Game by Peter Hopkirk Landlocked Kyrgyzstan was never on my initial list of destinations to visit. I was aware of the “stans” but hadn’t really paid too much attention to what they had to offer.There are five central…
Sao Tome

The Chocolate Islands Reading Sao Tome a novel by Paul D. Cohn Bradt Guide to Sao Tome & Principe A trip to Sao Tome & Principe had been on the shortlist for a few years but had been put off, mostly because from the outside looking in, the tourist infrastructure seemed as if it still…
Algeria

Africa’s largest country Reading/Listening The Lonely Planet guide on Algeria Algerian war by Kelly Mass A brief history of Algeria by KJ Smith The Stranger by Albert Camus The Meursault Investigation by Kamel Daoud A Savage War of Peace by Alistair Horn Music Tikoubaouine Imidiwan My Route: Algiers-Djemila-Constantine-Ghardaia-Timimoun-Beni Abbes-Taghit-Algiers Algiers Visa confusion is probably the…
Yukon

Wilderness in northwest Canada Reading / Listening Kings of the Yukon by Adam Weymouth The bucket list events by Rat Race always give me an opportunity to explore something new, the trip to the Yukon was no exception. This was a test pilot, and the idea of these excursions is to see what’s possible and…
Faroe Islands

18 volcanic islands in the North Atlantic, part of the kingdom of Denmark A group of 18 Islands between Scotland and Iceland in the North Atlantic Sea, the Faroe Islands was simply a place I never really imagined I would be going to. Then came the opportunity to join a team of test pilots with…
Zanzibar

The Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa Listening Podcast: The Zanzibar revolution by the history hour Just the name Zanzibar sounds exotic, perhaps that’s what first captures the imagination when thinking about coming here. This island, part of Tanzania, is as you might imagine it. Warm in every way, both the daytime temperature…
Greenland

The largest Island in the world Reading/Listening List The Greenlanders by Jane Smiley The history of the Vikings by History Nerds The idea of travelling to Greenland got me excited from the very beginning. I recall, years ago, watching a “homemade” documentary of someone’s ski trip there and being in awe of the vast scenery.…
Panama

The vibrant land connecting North and South America Reading Hell’s Gorge by Matthew Parker The path to Panama was a bumpy one. We had originally planned to travel there in March 2020, but the Covid pandemic put that plan to rest quickly. Then again in 2021 but once again Covid was still an issue. In…
Pakistan

The fifth most populous country in the world Reading Pakistan by Imran Khan I am Mala by Mala Yousefzai My knowledge of Pakistan was shaped by cricket, or at least the knowledge that along with India they are a big cricketing nation. Setting that aside, with a population of more than 241 million people, it’s…
Armenia

Where the Caucasus mountains meet history Formally part of the Soviet Union, Armenia is sandwiched between Turkey, Georgia and Iran. Part of Azerbaijan is on the southwestern border of the country and with a population of around 3 million people, it is one of the world’s oldest centres of civilisation.One of the motivations for heading…